Miu Le and five others were detained by Hai Phong police on May 10 for allegedly using illegal drugs.

All individuals tested positive for narcotics.

Many people questioned the role of artist managers after Miu Le's incident.

The public reaction is understandable as people think of professional entertainment executives, but Vietnam's reality is different.

Vietnam's artist management profession is not like the image of powerful executives.

Managers sometimes call artists 'boss'.

Artist managers coordinate and oversee an artist's career, including image and finances.

Private life is also included because it becomes part of an artist's public work.

Vietnam has professional artist management companies, but they are limited.

Most artist management work in Vietnam is handled by individuals, not companies.

Managers come from various backgrounds, but often lack formal training in artist management.

Most managers are hired and paid by artists based on private agreements.

Many artists establish their own companies and act as CEOs.

Artists often have multiple managers, and the authority of managers depends on the artist.

The relationship between artist and manager is often based on goodwill, not legally binding agreements.

When responsibilities are not clear, assigning accountability after a scandal is difficult.

Miu Le's case is an example where the singer had two companies performing management functions.

After the incident, it is unclear which party will handle the fallout.

Managers often focus on minimizing their liability when scandals erupt.

Structural weaknesses exist in Vietnam's entertainment industry.

Communications expert Nguyen Ngoc Long believes the industry operates through 'crippled giants' in terms of professionalism.

Managers come from different backgrounds, but each excels in only one area.

A skilled journalist may be excellent at building media relationships but lack understanding of complex contracts.

An experienced concert promoter may excel at stage operations but struggle with image management strategies.

Long argues that professionalism cannot emerge from patchwork thinking, and genuine stars require multidimensional management systems.

The entertainment market's brutal pace leaves managers with little time for self-improvement.

Managers are consumed by daily tasks and have no space to deepen their understanding of risk management.

The constant rush has created major defensive gaps, according to Long.

Managers are busy building fame while forgetting to build solid foundations.

A possible path forward is for artist managers to undergo a structural 'revolution'.

Nguyen Ngoc Long believes managers must assemble multidisciplinary teams of specialists to compensate for their weaknesses.

Professionalism means managers must be capable of gathering and coordinating teams of specialists.

Under this model, managers step back into the role of 'commander', focusing on overall vision.

When every link in the chain is handled by a specialist, projects are equipped with stronger layers of protection.

The second direction involves completely separating artistic expertise from business administration.

Hiring professional CEOs would allow entertainment companies to operate transparently and systematically.

Managers would be freed from administrative burdens and able to return to their core strengths.

According to Long, this division of labor is the key to building a professional entertainment ecosystem.

There are encouraging signs emerging in Vietnam's artist management profession.

One trend is the gradual shift away from traditional one-on-one artist-manager relationships.

The rise of entertainment companies is an optimistic sign, at least in terms of increasing professionalism.

Miu Le